1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to extracting and managing knowledge regarding a manufacturing process, and more particularly to externalizing manufacturing strategy and know how from engineering design, analysis and manufacturing and planning systems and to integrate knowledge, standards and applications for the manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
The design of parts, tools, computer chips etc. have seen incredible advances, especially in the time it takes to go from the design phase to actually manufacturing the part or tool. This renaissance has been brought about mainly by the advent of the computer and specialized software. Conventionally, there are four important types of software programs that are used to facilitate the process from the design phase to the manufacturing phase, as shown in Prior Art FIG. 1.
In a design phase, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software combines the techniques of drafting and computer graphics to produce models of parts and tools to be manufactured and represents the part or tool geometry in computer language. These models can be manipulated and tested via video display screens until they incorporate the best attainable balance of features, as well as including ease of production and lower cost.
Popular CAD programs include CATIA, Unigraphics, Pro Engineer, AutoCad and Solidworks among others. The CAD program stores the shapes entered as computer files generally in a proprietary format.
A CAD system typically includes the CAD software, a high-end computer workstation, a high-quality graphics monitor, a mouse, light pen, or digitizing tablet for drawing and a printer or plotter for printing design specifications and is often coupled with Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software through shared databases. CAM systems provide the ability to convert the geometry generated by the CAD program into machining or tool path instructions to make the part on a router, milling machine, lathe or any Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC or NC) machine.
The primary function of CAM programs is the generation of machining instructions to produce parts, tools, etc., taking into account tool or part features such as shape, diameter, thickness, etc. CAM systems are offered by leading CAD vendors such as CATIA, Unigraphics, Pro-Engineer and various independent system vendors such as MasterCam, SurfCam and Gibbs among others.
CAM programs store tool path information, in a file, as a set of executable motion instructions. The format for these commands can be unique to a particular program or a universally accepted standard. The most common standard format is the APT machine tool command language. APT is a common format that can be converted into a set of unique commands used by each CNC machine. The tool path created in the CAM software package is translated into a machine specific G-Code format with the application of a post-processor. Post-processing software accepts the tool path information and allows the user to customize the tool path commands for a particular CNC controller or machine. This post-processing allows for machine specific instructions such as startup and shut down, tool changers, canned cycles or special format requirements.
Process planning systems capture high level steps necessary to create the part. This includes material information, general manufacturing processes, company standards to apply, general instructions, and quality assurance steps.
Process planning systems generally capture xe2x80x9cwhatxe2x80x9d each step is as opposed to the details of how each step is performed. For example, a typical system will call out xe2x80x9cSet up 1: Rough Part features on Datum A sidexe2x80x9d. The exact instructions, such as what cutters to use, what machining strategies to implement, and the cutting computation, are not captured.
Process planning is usually performed on many different software applications of varying capability. This can be as simple as a standard word processor, an internally developed software tool, or a commercial tool such as HMS-CAPP from HMS Software Inc.
Despite the advances in CAD, CAM, NC machines and process planning systems, as described above, the traditional process still imbeds detailed manufacturing strategies within the NC program, process planning system and is also scattered among other documents, such as engineering drawings, local best practices, mental impressions, trade secrets, etc. Since this valuable knowledge on how the part or object should be optimally manufactured can only be defined within a multitude of proprietary systems, the prior art has several deficiencies in this regard, such as: a) NC programming cannot begin until CAD geometry is released; b) moving parts between suppliers requires significant rework to xe2x80x9creinventxe2x80x9d the manufacturing strategies because there is currently no way to communicate the proven method; c) manufacturing strategy is xe2x80x9cburiedxe2x80x9d in software system settings and data files which are not easily transferable between users; d) the best practices are extremely difficult to capture, share, and implement; e) ensuring standards are being adhered to is difficult; and f) controlling the quality across the NC programmer staff which is dependent solely on programming experience.
The prior art is deficient in providing a manufacturing strategy that is externalized from the multitude of manufacturing software systems and expertise that is capable of providing system manufacturing optimization, cost estimates, and tool path instruction, from among a host of functions, and is available for review, optimization, and communication concurrently with the design phase, thus allowing for more accurate cost estimates, identification of producibility issues and the quantification of each issue, the selection of manufacturing centers with capabilities necessary to optimize part manufacturing, and the implementation of automated machining instructions, that all can be generated and/or accessed from a library of proven manufacturing strategies. The prior art is also deficient in not providing a method for outsourcing that can be controlled by providing suppliers a proven manufacturing strategy to follow.
The prior art also does not address issues regarding quality of NC programmers and other post operations and does not ensure quality control providing for xe2x80x9cbest-in-classxe2x80x9d templates to support the manufacturing process.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances wherein manufacturing strategy is externalized and is capable of being shared anywhere in the world independent of manufacturing systems and tools (e.g. CAM, CAPP . . . ). In the present invention, standards are automatically implemented and Numerical Control (NC) programming can begin concurrently with design before final geometry is released. The present invention also brings together and integrates xe2x80x9cbest practicesxe2x80x9d into day-to-day actions in the production of a part or object. Manufacturing knowledge in the present invention is also integrated from early on in the design to and can be utilized in reoccurring manufacturing procedures in the future.
By creating a meta-data file, manufacturing strategy is externalized from manufacturing systems design files and is available for review, optimization, and communication. The present invention facilitates accurate cost estimates that can be generated using proven manufacturing strategies. The present invention further supports outsourcing, which can be controlled by providing suppliers a proven manufacturing strategy to followThe present invention further provides quality control of NC programmers and other post operations by introducing and providing xe2x80x9cbest-in-classxe2x80x9d meta-data file templates into the manufacturing processes. By virtue of decoupling the critical data from the CAD or manufacturing systems, the externalized manufacturing strategy can be shared anywhere in the world independent of CAD or manufacturing systems or planning systems utilized in creating the initial design data files.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention can be characterized according to one aspect of the present invention as including a method for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge for fabricating an object, the method including the extraction of design criteria from one or more a design data files. The design criteria is captured in a meta-data file. The design criteria is parsed into elemental manufacturing building modules independent of the data file and stored to a meta-data file and a database, wherein the database includes the extracted design criteria and the elemental manufacturing building modules. Manufacturing knowledge and data not contained in the design data file is incorporated into the meta-data. The database is accessed and manufacturing knowledge is extracted, if any, to optimize the manufacturing process of the object to be fabricated and incorporated (i.e. encapsulated in) to the meta-data file, wherein the meta-data file is independent of the one or more design data files from which the design criteria was extracted and the meta-data file is capable of directing the manufacturing of the object.
The present invention can be characterized according to another aspect of the present invention as including a software product for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge for fabricating an object, the software product residing on a computer readable medium is capable of instructing a general purpose computer to perform and instruction set. The instruction set includes an instruction to extract a design criteria from a one or more design data files and an instruction to parse the design files into elemental manufacturing building modules independent of the one or more design data files and an instruction to store to a database a meta-data file of the extracted design criteria and the elemental manufacturing building modules. The instruction set further includes an instruction for incorporating into the meta-data file manufacturing criteria not contained in the one or more design data files, and an instruction for accessing the database and extracting manufacturing knowledge, if any, and incorporate into the MDF for optimizing the manufacturing process of the object to be fabricated and storing the manufacturing knowledge to the meta-data file, wherein the meta-data file is independent of the one or more design data-files from which the design criteria was extracted and wherein the meta-data file is capable of directing the manufacturing of the part, tool or object.
The present invention can be characterized according to another aspect of the present invention as including a data structure for configuring manufacturing knowledge and expertise in designing and fabricating an object for manufacture, the data structure including a part level strategy section that defines general part level attributes and requirements for manufacturing an object and a numerical control setup section defining object fabrication activities for the object set up on a numerical control machine. The data structure further includes a quality assurance section for defining numerical control machine setup, a post operation section for defining non-machine tooling functions for manufacturing the object and a manual operation section that defines attributes of non-Numerical Control machine driven operations.
The present invention can be characterized according to a further aspect of the present invention as including a software product for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge for fabricating an object, the software product residing on a computer readable medium capable of instructing a general purpose computer to perform instructions for extracting a design criteria from one or more design data files, instructions for parsing design criteria into elemental manufacturing building modules independent of the one or more design data files and storing to a database a meta-data file comprising the extracted design criteria and the elemental manufacturing building modules and instructions for incorporating into the meta-data file manufacturing criteria not contained in the one or more design data files. The software product further includes instructions for accessing the database and extracting manufacturing knowledge, if any, for optimizing the manufacturing process of the object to be fabricated and incorporating the manufacturing knowledge into the meta-data file, wherein the meta-data file is independent of the one or more design data files from which the design criteria was extracted and wherein the meta-data file is capable directing the manufacturing of the object to be fabricated.
The present invention can be characterized according to an additional aspect of the present invention as including a system for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge for fabricating an object, the system including a data processor having memory capable of inputting and outputting data and instructions to peripheral devices. The system additionally includes a database in communication with the data processor for storing, accessing and retrieving data and a graphical user interface capable of interfacing with and navigating a software product for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge. The software product is capable of directing the data processor and includes instructions to: for extracting a design criteria from one or more design data files; for parsing design criteria into elemental manufacturing building modules independent of the one or more design data files and storing to a database a meta-data file comprising the extracted design criteria and the elemental manufacturing building modules; for incorporating into the meta-data file manufacturing criteria not contained in the one or more design data files; and for accessing the database and extracting manufacturing knowledge, if any, for optimizing the manufacturing process of the object to be fabricated and incorporating the manufacturing knowledge into the meta-data file, wherein the meta-data file is independent of the one or more design data files from which the design criteria was extracted and wherein the meta-data file is capable directing the manufacturing of the object to be fabricated.
The present invention can be characterized according another aspect of the present invention as including a system for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge for fabricating an object, the system including a data processor and memory capable of inputting and outputting data and instructions to peripheral devices and a database in communication with the data processor for storing, accessing and retrieving data. A graphical user is employed for interfacing with and navigating a software product for configuring detailed manufacturing knowledge. The software product is capable of instructing the data processor to perform instructions pursuant to the software product, the software product includes instructions to: extracting a design criteria from design data files; parse design criteria into manufacturing building blocks independent of the design data files and storing to a database the manufacturing building blocks; incorporate into the design criteria manufacturing criteria not contained in the design data files; and accesses the database and extract manufacturing knowledge, if any, for optimizing the manufacturing process of the object to be fabricated and incorporating the manufacturing knowledge into the manufacturing process; and manufacturing the object to be fabricated.
Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.